Bob Barker Donates to Develop Animal Rights Major at Drury University

Former television game show host Bob Barker, who ended episodes of "The Price is Right" by asking viewers to spay and neuter their pets, donated $1 million to Drury University to establish a professorship on animal rights that he hopes will lead to a full undergraduate degree program, writes the Associated Press in their release, Bob Barker Donates $1M for animal rights professor. In discussions about this over the weekend, several questions were brought up: So, is an animal rights major the opposite of an animal science major? What actual science is presented in a program of study such as animal rights? What will these undergraduate majors feel entitled to do? Inspect farms? Develop a vegetarian society? Read on to learn more about the details of this educational program...

Barker, who graduated from the small liberal arts school in 1947 with a degree in economics, said Tuesday that he hopes the school will eventually be able to offer a program of studies that would train them to be animal rights activists and to respect animals.

"I think some students would become full-fledged animal rights activists," Barker said. "Some will become lawyers and doctors who will always be interested in animal rights. And some will have more respect for animals."

Last year, Barker gave the school $1 million to establish the Drury University Forum on Animal Rights, which led to an undergraduate course on animal ethics.

And, it looks like animal rights activists have been extremely busy over the weekend. Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts on the Humane Society of the United States, Ohio's Issue 2 and more. Until then, have a great day!

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